College of Fine Arts and Production

It’s been quite the year for students in the arts at GCU. One big change: a name change from the College of Fine Arts and Production to the College of Arts and Media. The new name better represent the college’s push toward collaboration and its degree offerings. “I’m excited for this rebranding of our college, because I feel it better represents who we are and where we’re going,” said Dance Director Bekki Price.

If you’re looking for something to do for Valentine’s weekend, Ethington Theatre has the solution. The College of Fine Arts and Production’s performance of Christopher Fry’s romantic comedy “The Lady’s Not For Burning” will light up the stage for the next two weekends. It is a performance that Director Claude Pensis has described as a 15th-century love story with a modern feel. “It’s about life and the joy of living,” Pensis said. “It really is a play about these people who are seemingly lost and through this one evening they find each other, and they find happiness.”

Another year, another opportunity for GCU clarinet instructor Tim Haas to represent the College of Fine Arts and Production at Clarinet Fest. At this year’s event, hosted by the International Clarinet Association, Haas will be performing Josh Oxford’s “The Blues Ranger,” a jazzy song inspired by the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers kids show from the 1990s. A happy result of Haas’ choice: He and Oxford have become friends.

Filming has begun on campus for Andrea and Alexandra Boylan’s newest movie, “Identity Crisis.” It contains a faith-filled message and will continue shooting until Jan. 28 as it incorporates GCU students, faculty and alumni into the movie-making process. “It’s just special here,” said Alexandra, who first visited campus last year with her sister. “I feel like the spirit of the Lord is very alive and well at GCU, and we can feel it.”

After a two-year break, the Dance Department will return to the Ethington Theatre stage this weekend with the Winter Dance Concert. Called “Emerge,” it will celebrate the growth and strength of the department from the uncertainty and stress of the pandemic. “Coming into this semester, our dance community, I feel, has never been stronger,” Director of Dance Bekki Price said.

There was no shortage of diversity Monday at the Fall Learning Community and Research Symposium. Students from the College of Fine Arts and Production, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science, Engineering and Technology came together to present five research projects to an audience made up of GCU faculty, staff and executives. “It was such a great opportunity to be able and come here and speak,” said Jaelynn Maestas, from the “Epidemiological Model of Violent Behavior” group. “It’s so cool to be able to present to other people. … It was amazing. I have no other words.”

The Christmas season feels whole again. After a break forced by the pandemic last year, the College of Fine Arts and Production will perform Handel’s “Messiah” at three local churches on Friday, Sunday and Tuesday. The oratorio takes audiences on the journey of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection and has remained a popular Christmas work since it first was performed in 1742.

With so many different iterations of “The Addams Family” over the years, it’s no surprise that the Theatre Department was excited about making it the third play of the season. But the excitement extends beyond the iconic characters taking the Ethington Theatre stage — it also will be GCU’s first musical since before the pandemic. “I think there is just so much joy that comes along with a musical, so I think it’s just really a great atmosphere to bring back to GCU,” said Christian Shepard, who plays Wednesday Addams’ fiancé.

Selecting Greta Sugai as this semester’s guest residency artist was a match made in heaven for Dance Director Bekki Price. GCU students worked with and learned from Sugai last week as she taught them the choreography for her piece in this winter’s “Emerge” Dance Concert. “With the guest artist residencies, I always like to add to what our program already has. Bringing in artists from all over the country who have worked all over the world and have different backgrounds and different experiences really helps open the students’ eyes up to the different possibilities that they have.” Price said.

When asked whether he would give up the church or give up Hollywood, Dr. Craig Detweiler replied with his 25-year career of combining the two. Now, the longtime educator is bringing his knowledge and skills into his new role as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Production. “I’m excited about GCU’s deep and abiding faith combined with the artistry and creativity of both the professors and students,” he said. “We can both enlighten and entertain at the same time.”